# US 10,501,347 B2 · Catalytic oxidation of aqueous organic contaminants

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- Number: US 10,501,347 B2
- Document ID: US10501347B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/954,153
- Filed: 2015-11-30
- Published: 2017-06-01
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2015-11-30
- Assignees: Hamilton Sundstrand Space Systems International, Inc.
- Applicants: Hamilton Sundstrand Space Systems International, Inc.
- Inventors: Ping Yu; Timothy A. Nalette
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10501347B2

## CPC

- C02F 1/725: {by catalytic oxidation}
- B01J 23/462: {Ruthenium}
- B01J 35/19: {Catalysts containing parts with different compositions}
- B01J 35/643: {less than 2 nm}
- B01J 35/647: {2-50 nm}
- B01J 35/651: {50-500 nm}
- B01J 35/653: {500-1000 nm}
- B01J 35/69: bimodal
- B01J 37/0201: {Impregnation}
- B01J 37/0236: {Drying, e.g. preparing a suspension, adding a soluble salt and drying}
- B01J 37/088: {Decomposition of a metal salt}
- B01J 37/10: in the presence of water, e.g. steam
- B01J 37/18: with gases containing free hydrogen
- C02F 1/02: by heating (methods of steam generation F22B; preheating boiler feed-water or accumulating preheated boiler feed-water F22D)
- B01J 23/40: of the platinum group metals
- C02F 1/20: by degassing, i.e. liberation of dissolved gases (degasification of liquids in general B01D19/00; arrangement of degassing apparatus in boiler feed supply F22D)
- C02F 1/283: {using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them}
- C02F 1/42: by ion-exchange (ion-exchange in general B01J)
- C02F 1/50: by addition or application of a germicide or by oligodynamic treatment {(C02F1/4606, C02F1/467, C02F1/76 take precedence)}
- C02F 1/722: {Oxidation by peroxides}
- C02F 1/727: {using pure oxygen or oxygen rich gas}
- C02F 1/74: with air (aeration of stretches of water C02F7/00)
- C02F 1/76: with halogens or compounds of halogens {(C02F1/4674 takes precedence)}
- C02F 2101/30: Organic compounds
- C02F 2101/34: containing oxygen
- C02F 2101/40: {containing sulfur}
- C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes)
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS

## Abstract

A method of treating water to oxidize organic contaminants comprises heat transfer system includes heating liquid water to a temperature of at least 190° F. at a pressure to keep the heated water in a liquid phase, and contacting the heated water with oxygen and an oxidation catalyst including a noble metal on a porous support comprising a bi-modal pore size distribution including pore sizes from 1 nm to 20 nm and pore sizes from 100 nm to 1000 nm. The resulting catalytic oxidation of the organic contaminants results in the release of gaseous reaction products resulting from the oxidation reaction, which are separated from the treated water in a phase separator to produce a treated water final product.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for treating water, comprising:
heating liquid water comprising organic contaminants to a temperature of at least 190° F. at a pressure to keep the heated water in a liquid phase;
oxidizing the organic contaminants by contacting the heated water with oxygen and an oxidation catalyst comprising a noble metal on a porous support comprising a bimodal pore size distribution comprising pore sizes from 1 nm to 20 nm and pore sizes from 200 nm to 600 nm; and
separating gaseous reaction products and unreacted oxygen from the treated liquid water.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid water is heated to a temperature of 200° F. to 230° F.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the contacting of the heated water with oxygen and the catalyst is performed in a continuous manner to by flowing the heated water through a reactor comprising the catalyst to achieve a residence time of at least 5 minutes.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the heated water is at a pressure of 1 bar to 3 bar.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the noble metal is selected from platinum, palladium, ruthenium, iridium, or mixtures comprising any of the foregoing.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the oxidation catalyst comprises from 5 wt. % to 25 wt. % of noble metal crystallites 100 Å or smaller, based on the total weight of the oxidation catalyst.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the porous support comprises a bimodal pore size distribution comprising a first pore size population from 5 nm to 20 nm and a second pore size population from 200 nm to 600 nm.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the porous support is a ceramic or activated carbon.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the porous support has a surface area of at least 50 m2/g if the support is ceramic, or has a surface area of at least 500 m2/g if the support is activated carbon.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the porous support comprises a bimodal pore size distribution comprising a first pore size population from 5 nm to 20 nm and a second pore size population from 200 nm to 600 nm.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the percentage of pore volume of the bimodal support in the pore range of 200 nm to 600 nm ranges from 5% to 50%, and the percentage of pore volume of the bimodal support in the pore range of 1 nm to 20 nm ranges from 95% to 50%.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the percentage of pore volume of the bimodal support in the pore range of 200 nm to 600 nm ranges from 20% to 30%, and the percentage of pore volume of the bimodal support in the pore range of 1 nm to 20 nm ranges from 80% to 70%.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the noble metal comprises platinum and ruthenium.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the oxidation catalyst comprises from 5 wt. % to 25 wt. % of Pt/Ru metal crystallites 100 Å or smaller, based on the total weight of the oxidation catalyst.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the organic contaminants are selected from alcohols, organic acids, aldehydes, ketones, ethers, aliphatics, aromatics, amines, and amides.

### Claim 16

A system for treating water for organic contaminants, comprising:
a heater having an inlet in fluid communication with a water source and an outlet, configured to heat liquid water to a temperature of at least 190° F.;
a reactor comprising a reactor housing defining a reactor enclosure within the housing and having an inlet in fluid communication with the heater outlet, and an outlet, and an oxidation catalyst in the reactor enclosure comprising a noble metal on a porous support comprising a bi-modal distribution comprising pore sizes from 1 nm to 20 nm and pore sizes from 200 nm to 600 nm; and
a gas-liquid phase separator having an inlet in fluid communication with the reactor outlet.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the heater is configured to heat the liquid water to a temperature of 200° F. to 230° F.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, further comprising a flow controller configured to provide a continuous flow of water to the reactor at a rate to achieve a reactor residence time of at least 5 minutes.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the oxidation catalyst comprises from 5 wt. % to 25 wt. % of noble metal crystallites 100 Å or smaller, based on the total weight of the oxidation catalyst.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the porous support is a ceramic with a surface area of at least 50 m2/g or activated carbon with a surface area of at least 500 m2/g.